City one of worst in the country for recycling

BIRMINGHAM has one of the worst recycling rates in the country, data has revealed.

Just 23 per cent of household waste in the city was recycled last year, compared to a national average of 42 per cent.

Household recycling has long been considered a ‘postcode lottery’ with huge disparities between what different councils will collect for recycling from homes.

The government plans to standardise waste collection across the country by 2026 in a bid to simplify the system.

Just 41.7 per cent of household waste across England was taken for reuse, recycling or composting in 2022/23, according to the latest data from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The council with the worst recycling rates was Tower Hamlets in London, where just 18 per cent of waste was recycled last year.

In Birmingham, 23 per cent of waste was recycled – while in Stratford-upon-Avon the rate rose to 60 per cent.

Defra has a target to get the municipal recycling rate to 65 per cent by 2035, and have no more than ten per cent going to landfill.

Cllr Darren Rodwell, environment spokesperson for the LGA, said: “Every place is different, and councils understand that what works for reducing waste in an urban tower block is different for a rural cottage.

“In order to boost recycling rates, businesses and manufacturers need to build waste reduction and the reuse of packaging into their operations, and local authorities need certainty on the timetable for implementation of the full set of Defra’s reforms to waste and recycling.

“This includes the new extended producer responsibility scheme for packaging, and funding for the implementation of simpler recycling reforms”.

Environment minister Robbie Moore said: “Reducing waste and increasing recycling is crucial for protecting our environment for future generations. Overall, the amount of waste from households has gone down, but recycling rates have also fallen this year.

“We know there is more to do and that is why we are pushing forward with plans for a new, simpler common-sense approach to recycling – making recycling easier for everyone across the country.”